CII Karnataka ESG Summit 2026 Puts Climate Resilience at the Heart of Business Strategy

4th edition brings together 150+ CXOs and senior leaders as industry calls for ESG to move from commitment to measurable action

Bengaluru, September 12, 2026: Climate resilience, responsible value chains and the transition of ESG from corporate commitment to business action took centre stage at the 4th Edition of the CII Karnataka ESG Summit 2026, held in Bengaluru on September 11.

Organised by CII Karnataka and the CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development, the summit was held under the theme “Building Climate-Resilient and Competitive Businesses: From ESG Commitment to Action.” It brought together industry leaders, policymakers, sustainability experts, technology providers and academia to deliberate on emerging ESG challenges and practical solutions.

The summit comes at a time when ESG is increasingly moving beyond sustainability reporting and compliance to influence corporate strategy, investment, supply chains, technology adoption and long-term competitiveness.

Kunal Guha, Founder & Editor, Global Business Line, and Sneha Gupta, CEO, Global Business Line, personally attended the summit, witnessing discussions around the changing role of sustainability in corporate decision-making and the need for businesses to strengthen the wider ecosystems in which they operate.

Climate Intelligence Must Become Business Intelligence

Delivering a strong message on the economic implications of climate change, Shri Srinivasulu, IFS, Chairman, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), said climate change can no longer be considered only an environmental or developmental concern.

“Climate change is no longer an environmental or developmental concern; it has become a business and economic risk. Climate intelligence must therefore become business intelligence, with climate considerations embedded in boardroom decisions alongside land, labour, capital and finance.”

His remarks underscored the growing need for companies to incorporate climate risks into mainstream corporate planning rather than treating them as issues confined to sustainability departments.

The summit and its September 11 Bengaluru schedule are also listed by CII, while contemporary reporting from the event highlighted Srinivasulu’s warning that climate change has become an economic and business risk.

ESG Moving From Aspiration to Execution

In his Special Address, Mr Kamal Bali, Past Chairman, CII Southern Region, President & Managing Director, Volvo Group, highlighted the growing importance of resilience as companies confront multiple interconnected challenges.

“ESG is moving from aspiration to execution, with resilience emerging as the real business imperative.”

Bali highlighted climate change, geopolitical shifts, energy security, supply-chain disruptions and technological change as interconnected challenges requiring companies to strengthen their capacity to adapt.

He further stressed that resilience must extend across products, supply chains, people and partnerships, making sustainability part of core business strategy rather than a separate corporate agenda.

This transition from ESG ambition towards implementation emerged as one of the defining messages of the summit.

ESG Becoming a Foundation for Long-Term Growth

Setting the tone for the summit, Mr Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan, Chair – 4th Edition of CII Karnataka ESG Summit 2026 & Managing Director, Kennametal India Ltd, highlighted how ESG expectations are changing.

“ESG is evolving from a compliance requirement into a foundation for long-term business sustainability, competitiveness and growth.”

Venkatesan pointed to evolving Indian and international standards and the need for businesses to keep pace with frameworks including GRI and BRSR.

At the same time, he emphasised the broader purpose behind these frameworks: creating organisations capable of remaining sustainable, responsible and resilient over decades.

ESG Shifts From Risk Management to Opportunity

Mr Guruprasad Mudlapur, Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council & President, Bosch Group India & Managing Director, Bosch Ltd, said ESG must now become part of everyday corporate decision-making.

“ESG can no longer remain a sustainability function alone; it must be embedded in boardroom decisions and everyday business practices.”

As companies navigate climate risks, geopolitical uncertainties and supply-chain realignments, resilience has become increasingly important to sustainable long-term growth.

Mudlapur also pointed to another significant transition—the movement of ESG from being predominantly a risk-management agenda towards becoming an opportunity agenda capable of creating new markets, technologies and business models.

Stronger Partnerships Needed to Turn ESG Commitments Into Action

Ms Pavitra Shankar, Convenor, CII Karnataka ES Panel & Managing Director, Brigade Group, highlighted the need for collaboration as environmental responsibility becomes increasingly integrated into mainstream business decision-making.

She emphasised that sustainable growth will require stronger partnerships between government, businesses, communities and other stakeholders.

The focus, she said, needs to shift from commitment towards implementation, with businesses translating ESG principles into practical approaches covering climate resilience, responsible value chains, human rights, technology and decarbonisation.

Kunal Guha: Every Business Community Must Help Build the Sustainability Ecosystem

Sharing his observations after personally witnessing the discussions at the summit, Kunal Guha, Founder & Editor, Global Business Line, said sustainability cannot succeed if organisations pursue it in isolation.

“Sustainability cannot be achieved by one company, one industry or one government alone. Every business community must contribute towards building and strengthening the sustainability ecosystem. Businesses should look beyond their individual ESG targets and consider how they can enable their suppliers, startups, employees, customers and communities to become more sustainable.”

Guha said the summit demonstrated a positive transition in the way corporate India is approaching sustainability.

“What I witnessed at the CII Karnataka ESG Summit was a positive movement from conversation towards action. Businesses that collaborate, share knowledge, support responsible innovation and invest in their ecosystems will not only contribute to sustainability but also build stronger and more resilient organisations.”

He added that sustainability needs to become a shared business responsibility rather than simply a corporate obligation.

According to Guha, established businesses can also play a significant role in helping startups and MSMEs participate in the sustainability transition by sharing expertise, enabling access to technology, encouraging responsible procurement and creating opportunities for smaller enterprises within sustainable value chains.

Sneha Gupta: Sustainability Must Become an Everyday Business Decision

Sneha Gupta, CEO, Global Business Line, who also attended the summit, highlighted the importance of ensuring that sustainability does not remain restricted to large corporations or specialised ESG teams.

“Sustainability is no longer a responsibility limited to large corporations. Every business, irrespective of its size, has a role to play. The real impact will happen when ESG principles become part of everyday business decisions—from how companies source and operate to how they engage with employees, customers, suppliers and communities.”

Gupta said ecosystem-wide participation will be particularly important if sustainability initiatives are to create meaningful and lasting impact.

“Large enterprises have an opportunity to enable startups, MSMEs and supply-chain partners with knowledge, technology and access to sustainable practices. When the ecosystem progresses together, ESG moves beyond compliance and becomes a genuine driver of responsible and inclusive growth.”

Her observations echoed the summit’s broader emphasis on collaboration between industry, government and communities to translate sustainability commitments into practical action.

White Paper on ESG in Value Chains Launched

A key development at the summit was the launch of the white paper “ESG in Value Chains: From Expectations to Action.”

The subject reflects an increasingly important challenge for companies: ESG performance cannot be viewed only within the boundaries of an individual organisation. Suppliers, vendors, logistics providers and other partners can all form part of a company’s broader sustainability footprint.

The summit brought together more than 150 CXOs and senior leaders from industry, government and the sustainability ecosystem, with participants exchanging ideas, perspectives and sectoral insights on the changing ESG landscape and the need for scalable solutions.

Government and Industry Leaders Participate

The event witnessed participation from key government departments and institutions, including the Department of Information Technology & Biotechnology (ITBT), Government of Karnataka, and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).

Leading organisations represented at the summit included Brigade Group, Kennametal India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Kanara Consumers, ASM Technologies, Bosch Ltd., N Ranga Rao & Sons, Schevaran Laboratories, Sinhoi Advisory Services, Neo Wealth Management, AU Small Finance Bank, Maini Group, Bharat Fritz Werner Ltd. and ZingHR, among others.

CII’s own event listing confirms the fourth edition was held in Bengaluru on September 11, while its sustainability agenda continues to position ESG and climate resilience as areas connected to business competitiveness.

From ESG Commitment to ESG Action

The CII Karnataka ESG Summit 2026 ultimately highlighted a significant evolution in the sustainability conversation.

For businesses, ESG is increasingly becoming about more than setting targets, publishing sustainability reports or satisfying regulatory requirements. The next stage will depend on whether organisations can translate those commitments into decisions that affect capital allocation, supply chains, technology, people, partnerships and everyday operations.

Climate resilience is simultaneously becoming an economic consideration. Companies capable of anticipating climate risks, strengthening their supply chains, investing in responsible technologies and supporting their broader ecosystems may be better positioned to remain competitive amid disruption.

Perhaps the strongest message emerging from the summit was that no organisation operates sustainably in isolation.

Large corporations, MSMEs, startups, governments, investors, technology providers, employees and communities form interconnected ecosystems. Creating resilient businesses therefore requires sustainability capabilities to spread across those networks rather than remaining concentrated within individual companies.

The question for corporate India is consequently shifting from “What is our ESG commitment?” to “What action are we taking, what measurable impact are we creating, and how are we helping the ecosystem around us move forward?”

For an event centred on moving “From ESG Commitment to Action,” that may ultimately be the most important measure of progress.